‘Russia attaches great importance to anti-terror cooperation with Pakistan’

MOSCOW: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday that Russia attaches great importance to counter-terrorist cooperation with Pakistan as a key player in the field, according to a report published on the Sputnik website.

“Pakistan is one of the key countries in the fight against terrorism. In this regard, Russia, of course attaches great importance to cooperation with Pakistan,” Peskov told reporters.

Earlier in January this year, the Russian Army’s Commander-in-Chief Oleg Salyukov had announced that Russian ground forces will hold its first ever military exercises with Pakistan in the coming year

A Russian delegation had also visited Pakistan last month to discuss the sale of military hardware and agreement to enhance defence cooperation between the two countries.

Pakistan and Russia are in talks about the delivery of Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and the two countries have also previously agreed upon delivery of four Mi-35M helicopters, which followed a historic change in Russian policy towards Pakistan.

Russia and Pakistan have lately been working on enhancing defence cooperation and are believed to have already covered a lot of ground. Exchange of visits by military commanders in recent years is an indication of progress achieved in this regard.

Russia had lifted its embargo on arms supplies to Pakistan in June 2014 and signed a bilateral defence cooperation agreement with Pakistan to strengthen military-to-military relations in November 2014.

India’s decision to enter into tighter embrace with the US had prompted Russia to rethink its defence relationship with Pakistan.